Three things are synonymous with Thanksgiving: food, family and football. Last Thursday was no different as six NFL teams competed while millions of Americans feasted on turkey and stuffing. The NFL does not hold exclusive rights to the concept as high school and college teams hold games across the country as well.

Many fans likely flipped channels back and forth between the Pittsburgh Steelers-Indianapolis Colts and Louisiana State-Texas A&M games. In Baltimore, high schools Calvert Hall and Loyola Blakefield faced off in the 97th meeting of their historic rivalry. Nationally, football on Thanksgiving is a longstanding tradition that dates back over 100 years.

The first football game on Thanksgiving occurred in 1869, about two weeks after Rutgers University defeated Princeton University in what many consider the first ever football game. The Young America Cricket Club and the Germantown Cricket Club faced off in Philadelphia, PA. It remains a mystery whether or not the teams played under similar rules as the Rutgers-Princeton game.

Some of Princeton’s early meetings against arch rival Yale University took place on Thanksgiving. The teams’ second through eighth meetings were all on the last Thursday in November. Yale won the first holiday meeting on Nov. 30, 1876, 2-0. The five contests finished with scores just as minuscule. Through the six games, four of which ended in ties, both teams combined to score six points.

Meanwhile, NFL football on Thanksgiving goes back as far as 1920. Then named the American Professional Football Association, the league put on a whopping five games on the docket.

Among the early mainstays of the Thanksgiving games were the Chicago Bears. Chicago played on Thanksgiving every year between 1920 and 1938 known as the Decatur and Chicago Staleys the first two years. The Chicago (now Arizona) Cardinals appeared the second most times (13) in that span followed by the Green Bay Packers (12).

Nowadays, people think of the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions when discussing Thanksgiving football. The Lions Turkey Day tradition began in 1934 after George A. Richards purchased the Portsmouth Spartans. Later, Richards moved the team to Detroit and renamed them the Lions.

The team experienced early success (10-3 record, plus 179 point differential, 12.5 expected wins), yet, Richards struggled to draw fans to the games. Back in the 1930s, the NFL was not the dominant sport it is today in regards to popularity. Most looked at the league as a sideshow, dwarfed in popularity by Major League Baseball. People looked at college football as more legitimate than the NFL.

Richards noticed the city’s main loyalties still rested with the Tigers. To be fair, the Tigers went 101-53 and won the American League pennant in 1934. Richards needed a way to attract fans to the University of Detroit Stadium. The most fans the Lions drew before Thanksgiving was 15,000. The stadium capacity is 25,000. On Thanksgiving, the perfect storm arrived.

The Lions, 10-1 at the time, faced the defending NFL champion Chicago Bears. Chicago came into the game undefeated and in first place in the NFL West division. Richards, a former radio executive, convinced the NBC Radio Network to broadcast the game over their 94 stations.

In addition, the big game created intrigue within the Motor City. Fans rushed to the box office hoping to see such a pivotal game in person. As a result, the football team that struggled to fill seats turned away thousands yearning to see history. In fact, the game drew 26,000 spectator – a full thousand over capacity.

The game itself exemplified the low scoring nature of the league back then. The two best scoring defenses flexed their muscles. The Bears allowed 283 total yards while the Lions gave up only 193. In the end, the Bears overcame a 16-7 halftime deficit, scoring 11 unanswered points to win 19-16 and earned a spot in the NFL title game.

Though the Lions ultimately came up short, they began a tradition that continues to this day. If nothing else, fans witnessed the greatness of Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders at least once a year.

The Cowboys Thanksgiving history starts in 1966. At this point, the league reduced the Thanksgiving slate to just one game (a Lions home game). Although, the rival American Football League ran Turkey Day games from 1960-1966. League officials wanted to add another game to the holiday schedule.

Cowboy’s then-president and general manager Tex Schramm jumped at the opportunity. Tom Landry’s Cowboys hosted the Cleveland Browns at the Cotton Bowl in front of a record 82,259 fans. Pro Bowl tailback Don Perkins rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown in Dallas’ 26-14 drubbing of the Browns.

Keeping in line with their penchant for oversaturation, the NFL eventually added a nightcap to the festivities. The league scheduled a third Thanksgiving game beginning in the 2006 season. Larry Johnson ran for 157 yards and a score en route to a 19-10 Kansas City Chiefs victory over the Denver Broncos.

Other primetime moments to live on in the history of Thanksgiving football include Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin watching himself trip up Jacoby Jones on the big screen, the Harbaugh brothers facing off and the infamous “butt-fumble”.

Football is as ingrained into Thanksgiving as turkey and sweet potato pie. The tradition shows no signs of going anywhere anytime soon.

The post Touchdowns and Turkey: a history of Thanksgiving Football appeared first on The Retriever.

There are countless acronyms and nicknames that are spoken around campus. You’re nearly guaranteed to hear at least one every day. It’s quick and easy to converse with the campus lingo, and it is a language that nearly everyone has come to comprehend.

As a student-athlete on campus, there is one acronym that I hear nearly every day: NARP. The acronym stands for Non-Athletic Regular Person. The term is used quite freely among athletes—and typically in a derogatory manner.

“That’s so something a NARP would do…”  or “Who cares, he’s just a NARP.” Or, in most cases, something as explicit as: “I really can’t stand NARPs.”

When I hear the short-hand for fellow students, it frustrates me to hear the disparaging term. The acronym is a gross generalization of the remainder of the student body. Simply because a person does not participate in a varsity sport does not mean that they are unathletic. There is a myriad of students on campus who excelled in their respective sports, but simply chose not to compete at the college level.

Freshman Matthew Naumann, now labeled as a “NARP,” was a standout swimmer at Dulaney High School in Maryland. Even with a successful high school career, Naumann had no interest in competing at the college level.

“I wanted to focus on my studies in college,” he said. “I figured that I wouldn’t have enough time to meet the demanding practice schedules.”

When asked if he is offended by the term “NARP,” Naumann responded candidly.

“I would be hurt if someone called me a NARP directly to my face,” he said. “It makes me mad that just because I’m not a Division I athlete that automatically means I’m not athletic. Yes, Division I athletes are talented in their respective sports, but I would argue that being athletic also includes casually playing multiple sports well, too.”

Many of these so-called “non-athletes” spend a great deal of their time playing club sports, or working out in the RAC. The weight room is almost always at full capacity, and it is rare to spot an unused treadmill or elliptical. The courts at the RAC are consistently home to a pickup basketball game, or a round of badminton. Not to mention, those participating often have impressive skills in their chosen sport.  

It is widely assumed throughout the athletic community that non-athletes have little to no idea about the crazy schedules we athletes must maintain. In many ways, I too agree with this sentiment, but I am well aware that many non-athletes are pressed for time as well. College is time-consuming for any type of student, regardless of what activities you choose to do. There are ample opportunities for non-athletes to fill their time with clubs, organizations, or even part-time jobs. Time management is essential for every single person on campus, not just the athletes.

I am also well aware of the stereotype that the varsity athletes have accrued. Seemingly, since the beginning of athletics, athletes have been labeled as “dumb jocks.” Whether it be in high school or in college, athletes can never seem to make the grade.

I see this stereotype play out nearly every day. I’m wary of the professors who look at me different when I’m in my UMBC athletics clothes and how their personalities towards me change once I’m in street clothes.

Even though athletes joke about being “athlete-students” instead of “student-athletes,” we know that academics come first. We are aware of the harsh reality that our athletic careers will most likely end once we graduate, so we need to build ourselves a future that doesn’t include sports. We need to graduate with a legitimate degree just like everyone else.

Along with the assumed lack of intelligence comes the common misconception that athletes are accepted into universities without the necessary standardized test scores and or meeting necessary admission requirements. Larger universities with sports teams that turn a profit are often the schools that give everyone else a bad name.

To be accepted to play softball at UMBC I had to get the necessary SAT and ACT scores. My National Letter of Intent would’ve been nulled and voided if I wasn’t first accepted into the university. UMBC is known for its high academic standard, and everyone on this campus worked hard for their acceptance letter.

Be you a “NARP” or a “dumb jock,” remember that you are more than just a gross generalization of a group. Everyone has specific talents that break stereotypes. Students at UMBC are more than just oversimplified images or ideas—so think twice before you rush to categorize someone.   

The post Busting stereotypes : “NARPs” and “dumb jocks” appeared first on The Retriever.

•  a workshop on creating a government resume
• Learning how to stand out on USA jobs
• Speaking with two NSA Recruiters assigned specifcally for UMBC students
  

It's time to Register for Spring Classes!

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Old Ellicott City is a path many students take to get back to campus and holds a special place in people’s hearts. Business owners were happy to get Old Ellicott City up and running since the flood this summer for Small Businesses Saturday.

Small Businesses Saturday, an American Express-created event, seemed like the perfect opportunity for Old Ellicott City to hold their Grand Reopening Celebration. Shoppers who bought something at an Old Ellicott City business were able to receive a free commemorative T-shirt.

Many came to celebrate, including Congressman Elijah Cummings, County Executive Allan Kittleman and Senator Ben Cardin. These individuals spoke at the celebration. Senator Ben Cardin and Elijah Cummings cut the ribbon to celebrate the reopening of Old Ellicott City.

“When we saw our neighbors create the human chain-remember that? And to save folks; that’s what America’s all about, that’s what Ellicott City’s about, that’s what Howard County is about. Us coming together to lift each other up,” stated Cummings.

Senator Ben Cardin advised attendees to “open up [their] wallets and buy some things today.”

Some of the shops had stalls open for individuals to purchase items such as food (including fruit, vegetables, empanadas, jam and more) and items from individual stores (such as ornaments, toys and more). There was music playing throughout the streets, people dancing and singing and a sign for people who support Old Ellicott City to write their names on.

Some stores, such as The Wine Bin, Little French Market, Cottage Antiques, Sweet Cascades Chocolatier, Sweet Elizabeth Jane and A Journey From Junk, opened up to the general public. Recently, The Wine Bin has opened up space for  Sweet Cascades Chocolatier.

While many stores have reopened to the general public (70 of the 90), many are not ready to do so just yet, such as Bean Hollow, a coffee shop. Bean Hollow was one of many stores that suffered substantial damage.

According to the Baltimore Sun, throughout Old Ellicott City, “Visitors peered into storefronts to find gutted buildings with partially exposed cinder block walls and many former shops and restaurants remain boarded up.”

However, considering all the damage that Old Ellicott City businesses have suffered, many of them were listed in Howard Magazine’s Best Restaurants 2016. Some of these include Tersiguel’s, Portalli’s, Phoenix Emporium and Bean Hollow.

According to WTOP, Kittleman stated, “This is the most important time for everyone here, so please from now and the end of the year, please shop in Ellicott City.” He added, “Help these business owners to get back on their feet and nothing is going to help them more than just coming here to shop.”

The post Old Ellicott City has grand reopening celebration appeared first on The Retriever.

UMBC Black Lives Matter Week, held by a multitude of individuals, created discourse and interest through a series of events and activities spread throughout last week. These events were meant to create solidarity and educate members of the community.

“Originally, we wanted to create a large event for Black Solidarity Day, which fell on Nov. 1st. We met with Amnesty International President and Vice President, Mai-Han and Trevor, to see if they would be interested in collaborating,” said Markya Reed.

“Eventually we decided that we would plan several events over the course of a week, instead of a single event for Black Solidarity Day. We spent the next few days reaching out to students and organizations that might be interested in planning a full week’s worth of events.”

These events included: “What Matters To You?”,  an Amnesty International Vigil,  a Black Lives Matter Brave Space, election results discussion, a silent protest, step shows and an Amnesty International Black Lives Matter Poetry Slam.

Monday’s “What Matters To You?” and subsequent vigil were designed to attract those curious about the movement while, at the same time, educating those who may have any negative impression of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Tuesday’s Brave Space was a place for individuals to come and voice their frustrations in an open, welcoming environment.

“It was refreshing to hear viewpoints that were aligned with my own, as well as those that challenged my worldview. I personally believe it’s important to expand our understanding by listening to and engaging with people who we disagree with,” stated Tihira Turrell.

The other events served as opportunities for the community to show their support and celebrate some of the contributions made.

“An AP English teacher from Frederick Douglas actually messaged us a few days prior to the event [on Thursday], asking if he could bring his students to participate in the events. It was encouraging to see our community come together like this,” according to Reed.

When asked if Black Lives Matter Week was planned as a result of the election, Vivian Bethea said, ” As a group, we have been trying to bring attention to the movement for about two months, and have been in the process of trying to become a student organization since the summer.  That being said, although we felt that the timing of the week was appropriate because of the effect that the elections had on some individuals, we did not intend to use the movement as a response to the results.”

However, Joshua Massey said, “From the conversations I had during the week, it seems as though the overarching need surfaced by the results of the election is the need to educate people about not only the struggles of African Americans, but also all other marginalized groups.”

Throughout the week, Black Lives Matter received some backlash through social media such as negative remarks on Facebook/Yik Yak, racist grafitti/posters, and chalking on Academic Row. Those who criticized the movement were invited to come to events and learn what the movement was about.

“We would show up to our selected venue, nervous that no one would show up, and every single time we ended up with way more people than any of us expected. This really spoke to us. The BLM week and movement was more necessary than we realized,” stated Kayla Smith.

“In the midst of the world and its political climate, I truly believe that we could make a statement to ourselves and to the work that Black lives truly matter,” stated Vanessa Barksdale.

The post UMBC Black Lives Matter Week appeared first on The Retriever.

In an effort to address the city’s large number of shootings, the Baltimore City Council unanimously voted for the preliminary approval of a citywide gun replica ban last Monday. The legislation bans the possession of toys and replicas that may pass as working handguns and rifles.

The consideration on the council’s agenda passed unanimously with a 14-0 vote for the ban of replicas. According to Council President Bernard “Jack” Young, the replicas are contributing to the increase of violence in Baltimore’s streets. In a statement to The Baltimore Sun, Young said fake guns have been used in robberies and other crimes.

Over 800 shootings have been recorded in Baltimore this year alone. Furthermore, the city is on track to surpass 300 homicides for the second year in a row.

Under the new legislation, fines are stipulated for owning, carrying or possessing a replica that could be perceived as a real firearm. The first offense could result in a $250 fine, which rises to $1000 for the second and any subsequent offenses.

The toy and replica ban was initially introduced earlier this year by Maryland State Senator Anthony Muse. However, it was eventually withdrawn due to lack of votes. It was reintroduced back in April, after the shooting of 14-year-old Dedric Colvin.

Colvin was shot in the shoulder and leg by a police detective with Baltimore Police, who mistook the teenager’s BB gun for a real firearm. The BB gun, made by Daisy Outdoor Products, was designed to look like a Beretta 92 pistol. At the time, Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said the spring-air gun Colvin had on his person looked almost identical to a semi-automatic pistol.

Children’s safety has been one of the main concerns addressed in the bill. Young affirms that children who play with toy guns and faithful replicas are unnecessarily put in harm’s way. Elsewhere in the country, other cases of children shot while in possession of toy guns have gained national repercussion, most notably that of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Ohio. Rice was shot and killed by police — video footage shows him holding a toy gun.

According to Councilman James B. Kraft, who introduced the proposed ban, the replicas are hard to tell apart from the real guns. Andrew G. Vetter, chief of staff of the Baltimore Police department, wrote that some replicas are made to look as real as possible, making it virtually impossible for police officers to distinguish between replica and gun while out in the field, under pressure and making quick decisions.

The National Rifle Association and other gun advocates strongly opposed the bill, calling it “hopelessly vague” and “unnecessary.” Maryland Shall Issue Inc., another gun’s rights organization, wrote to the city council, stating that the bill violates a federal law that prohibits states from banning the sale of some replicas. The response from the city department explains that the bill does not ban their sale, but their possession, therefore making it legal.

Some additional distinctions and exemptions were made to a revised version the bill. Replicas are now allowed for theatrical productions, as well as for training with a certified instructor and in certain competitions. Additionally, antique replicas are not included in the ban.

Staff for Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlins-Blake have released a statement affirming the Mayor’s intention of signing the bill into law once it reaches her office. The legislation is expected to pass in December.

The post Baltimore set to ban gun replicas appeared first on The Retriever.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NLT) - “…Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”

“The seven of us [John & Vera Perkins and their five young children] moved into a little three-bedroom house with Vera Mae’s grandmother. Christian friends in California had pledged to send $75 to $100 a month, but that certainly wouldn’t feed a family of seven. So right away I started to work, cutting wood and picking cotton. At first, people were embarrassed that I was having to do this kind of work alongside them.

“Though I didn’t realize it at the time, those experiences were building the foundation for our ministry. The people were seeing that I really was one of them. I was not an outsider. I was not a ‘have’ giving handouts to the ‘have nots.’ I had given up a good job, a big comfortable house, and the freedom and respect I had enjoyed in California to return to the poverty, discomfort and oppression I had left behind 13 years earlier. I was choosing to become a ‘have not’ in order to take my people the gospel. I was once again becoming one of them. To reach my people, I was following the same pattern Jesus had used to reach me. ‘For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich’ (2 Cor. 8:9)’” [John M. Perkins, With Justice For All, p.63-64].

“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”

Who are you becoming and why? What compels you each day? What wakes you up, what moves you, and what makes you do what you do? Is it the love of Christ? God has saved us from ourselves, from our old ways, our self-preserving ways, and our self-justifying ways. But why? So that we may move into the lives of others, into their struggles and disappointments, and into their fears and distractions so that they can know how much God loves them. Today, let’s ask God to box our lives into the love of God so that we will be available, moveable, and more like Jesus for them.

-TR